Peanut safety reassured

the PDH

Published 6:00 pm, Sunday, January 25, 2009

LUBBOCK - The Texas Peanut Producers Board continues reassuring consumers that national retail peanut butter brands that can be purchased by the jar in grocery stores are not affected by the recent recall of certain peanut butter products and peanut pastes produced by the Peanut Corporation of America in Blakely, Ga.

Earlier this week, the Food and Drug Administration urged consumers to postpone eating products made with peanut butter pending information about which products contain ingredients produced by the Georgia plant. Retail peanut butter brands on grocery shelves are safe and need not be avoided.

"Consumers should be reassured that the peanuts grown in Texas are produced by top-notch farmers who place food safety as their main priority," said Shelly Nutt, TPPB executive director. "Peanut butter by the jar is still safe and Texans should continue eating it for its great taste and nutritional benefits.

"We still have the safest food supply in the world and consumers should continue to purchase and consume name brand peanut butter from their grocery store."

Consumers should visit www.fda.gov for a list of affected products in the days ahead to help avoid the products that have been recalled.